TEEN ART COOPERATIVE is an all-new program for high school students focused on real-world skills in how to support a creative practice, exposure to local artists, resources, mentorship, behind-the-scenes experiences at the Mattress Factory, and being part of a committee that plans all things awesome and fun at the museum!

Following up on the success of our Summer Art Cooperative, TEEN ART COOPERATIVE will continue as a year-long after school program that will allow teens to make decisions about what they learn and how they develop. Our goals are for teens to interact with working artists and art organizations to better understand paths for a creative life, to plan their own events, and build skills that they can use in the future.

Four main aspects of this Cooperative will be artist workshops, event planning, trips to North Side organizations, and discussions with staff members. The end goal of this experience is personal development for the teens, as well as successful events that allow teens and their friends to use the Mattress Factory as their own safe and fun space.

It can seem like a difficult task to navigate the art world and all of its levels, but we don’t want it to be! Understanding the vast possibilities that lie within a museum and the larger art world can be the first step in building a foundation for a unique and personal career path. The Cooperative Teens will navigate topics, skills, events and more together as they develop their own voices and specific strengths.